Central Methodist University

Central Methodist University
CMU
Established	1854
Type	Private
Religious affiliation	Methodist
President	Dr. Marianne E. Inman
Students	1,125
Other students	1,541 (extended campuses)
Location	Fayette, Missouri, USA
Campus	Rural 55 acres (22.3 ha)
Former names	Central Methodist College
Colors	Green and White
Athletics	HAAC (NAIA DI)
Nickname	Eagles
Website	http://www.centralmethodist.edu/

Central Methodist University (formerly known as Central Methodist College and also known as Central College or CMU) is a private, coeducational, liberal arts university located in Fayette, Missouri. CMU is an accredited four year institution of higher education and offers masters, bachelors, and associates degrees. The school is affiliated with the United Methodist Church.

History

Portrait of Nathan Scarritt

On April 13–14, 1853, Central Methodist University was founded by Nathan Scarritt and David Rice McAnally. The college was chartered by the Missouri General Assembly on March 15, 1855. It came about due largely to the diligent work of Nathan Scarritt and David Rice McAnally. Classes began on September 18, 1857, on a 1-acre (0.405 ha) campus with an enrollment of 114 students and a faculty of three. Samuel C. Major was the first graduate, in 1858. In about 100 years the school grew to a campus of 55 acres (22.3 ha), enrollment of over 1,000 students and a faculty of 65.

Presidents

• Rev. Nathan Scarritt, D.D., June 1857 - June 1858
• Rev. A. A. Morrison, D.D., June 1858 - March 1860
• Rev. C. W. Pritchett, LL.D., pro tem, March 1860 - June 1860
• Rev. W. A. Anderson, D.D., June 1860 - June 1861

The college was inoperative from June 1861 to June 1868 because of the Civil War

• Rev. W. A. Smith, D.D., June 1868 - April 1870
• Prof. F. X. Forster, M.A., pro tem, April 1870 - August 1870
• Rev. J. C. Wills, D.D., August 1870 - February 1878

vacant February 1878 - April 1878 due to death of President Wills

• Rev. E. R. Hendrix, D.D., LL.D., April 1878 - June 1886
• O. H. P. Corprew, A.M., pro tem, June 1886 - June 1888
• Rev. J. D. Hammond, D.D., June 1888 - June 1896
• Tyson S. Dines, A.M., June 1896 - June 1897
• E. B. Craighead, A.M., LL.D., June 1897 - June 1901
• T. Berry Smith, A.M., LL.D., acting, June 1901 - June 1903
• Rev. James C. Morris, D.D., June 1903 - June 1907
• William A. Webb, A.B., Litt. D., June 1907 - July 1913
• Rev. Paul H. Linn, A.M., LL.B., D.D., July 1913 - February 1924
• E. P. Puckett, A.M., LL.D., pro tem, February 1924 - July 1924
• Bishop W. F. McMurry, D.D., LL.D., July 1924 - September 1930
• Robert H. Ruff, A.M., B.D., D.D., LL.D., September 1930 - May 1942
• Rev. Harry S. DeVore, B.D., D.D., June 1942 - October 1947
• E. P. Puckett, A.M., LL.D., acting, November 1947 - May 1950
• Rev. Ralph L. Woodward, A.M., B.D., D.D., L.H.D., June 1950 - August 1970
• Rev. Harold P. Hamilton, B.A., B.D., Ph.D., L.H.D, August 1970 - August 1976
• Thomas R. Feld, Ph.D., acting, August 1976 - August 1977
• Joe A. Howell, Ed. D., August 1977 - July 1995
• Marianne E. Inman, B.A., A.M., Ph.D., July 1995–present

Campus

Central Methodist's main campus is in Fayette, Missouri. Notable features include Linn Memorial United Methodist Church, Swinney Conservatory, Brannock Hall, Little Theatre, Ashby-Hodge Gallery of American Art, and Quadrangle (aka "The Quad"). The college also has the Morrison Observatory next to the president's home across the street from the Fayette city park. On campus cultural attractions include Ashby-Hodge Gallery of American Art, Stephens Museum, concerts presented by the Swinney Conservatory of Music and productions hosted in the Little Theatre or on the Quad. The 2004 film Killer Diller was filmed on campus and in various other locations owned by the university.

Regional Campuses

The university also has a number of regional campus for continuing and graduate education programs in the Missouri communities of Clinton, Columbia, Grandin, Lake of the Ozarks, Macon (2010), Park Hills, Poplar Bluff, Rolla, Sedalia, St. Louis, Trenton, and Union.

Academic programs

Central Methodist offers studies and degree programs in many areas of the liberal arts, as well as the sciences and education.

Currently CMU offers Bachelor's degrees in accounting, athletic training, biology, business, chemistry, communication studies, computer science, criminal justice, education, English, environmental science, history, marine biology, mathematics, music, music education, nursing, philosophy, physical education, physics, political science, psychology, recreation management, religion, sociology, Spanish, and theatre arts.

CMU also offers cooperative programs in pre-law, pre-med, medical technology, pre-ministry, engineering, military science (Army ROTC, Air Force ROTC), public health, osteopathic medicine, and physical therapy.

Master's programs include master of education, master of science in clinical counseling, and master of science in nursing.

Athletics

Main article: Central Methodist Eagles

Central Methodist is a Division I NAIA school in the Heart of America Conference. The school's teams are called the Eagles. Teams compete in football, basketball (men's and women's), baseball, cross country, golf (men's and women's), soccer (men's and women's), softball, spirit squad (cheerleading & dance), track and field, and volleyball.

Fight song

In the late spring of 2006 Central Methodist University adopted an official fight song written by Andrew Glover, a 1983 alumnus of Central Methodist College, called Fighting Eagles. The previous unofficial fight song had been Hail, Victory written by Central College alum and former drum major Robert Earl Stepp.

Notable alumni

• Douglas A. Foster, religion historian at Abilene Christian University
• Boone Guyton, naval aviator
• William Fletcher McMurry, eponym of McMurry University
• Samuel C. Major, Democratic U.S. Representative from Missouri
• Danielle Moore, French-born Missouri Republican state representative and member of NAACP
• Ira Richardson, president of Northwest Missouri State University and Adams State College
• Claude T. Smith, music composer and conductor
• Roger B. Wilson, Democratic governor of Missouri
• David Holsinger, American composer and conductor
• C. Fred Bergsten, American economist, author, and political adviser
• Bill Chott, American actor and comedian
• Huston Smith, religious studies scholar in the United States
• Michael Johnson, MMA fighter.

Battle of Fayette

The battle occurred on September 24, 1864 when two bands of southern sympathizers attacked the Union troops stationed in Fayette; it ranged across the town to end on what is now the college's campus. The guerrillas were led by William "Bloody Bill" Anderson and George Todd, and included among their number Frank and Jesse James, of outlaw fame. Somewhere between 30 and 50 Union fighters faced off against the 250 southern sympathizers, who had disguised themselves with uniforms taken from dead Federal soldiers.

Only 75 members of the large guerrilla party charged the barricaded troops. Though Anderson and Todd lived on to terrorize northern troops across the state before their deaths, this ill-conceived attack had deadly consequences: after three charges, 13 of Anderson's men were dead and another 30 were wounded. Only 1 (some accounts say 3) of the Union soldiers was killed, and another five wounded.

In later years, Frank James said that the Fayette fight made him "the worst scared I ever was during the war." In his brief description of the fight, he said, "We charged up to a blockhouse made of railroad ties filled with portholes and then charged back again. The blockhouse was filled with Federal troops and it was like charging a stone wall, only this stone wall belched forth lead."

On October 14, 2007, the Missouri Department of Natural Resources commemorated the battle by placing a marker on the Central Methodist University campus.

External links

• Central Methodist University
• The Ashby-Hodge Gallery of American Art